Folding tray



March 1954 E. JOHNSON 7 2,672,988 I FOLD ING TRAY Filed April 3, 1951 1N VEN TOR.

j jd hzmsom BY ing trays and for attachment to automobiles and the like, either open while the tray was in use.

terial such as wire,

the interior or ing the interior of the car in Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING TRAY Clyde E. Johnson, Wichita Falls, Tex. Application April 3, 1951, Serial No. 219,005

4 Claims. (01. 211-88) This invention relates to improvements in foldmore particularly to folding trays n the interior orexterior thereof, for serving sandwiches, beverages and other refeshments to the occupants of the car.

.Various serving trays for automobiles have This situation is highly undesirable in cold or inclement weather,

(and provided a business handicap for owners of concessions, cafes and the like who cater to drive-in trade.

The present tray may be constructed of mapart wire and part sheet metal, or various combinations of wire and wood,

may be provided for each occupant of the car, or it may be large enough to serve all the occupants of the car. In whatever size the tray is made An object of this invention is to provide a serving for automobiles that may be used either on exterior of the car and which, when not in use, may be folded into a comparatively small fiat parcel which may be stored in a minimum of space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a serving tray that is comparatively open in con struction, that is easily cleaned but is sufliciently sturdy to withstand hard Still another object of usage. this invention is to provide a serving tray which will hold beverage containers against misplacement While the car is in motion, or against accidental tipping thereof while the car is not in motion, thereby preservclean condition and the upholstery unstained.

vehicle or the like, with dashed outline portion to the portion l.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a serving tray that is so constructed as to provide advertising space or menu display space on a portion thereof.

With these and other objects that will manifest themselves as the description proceeds, in mind, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention with the tray in position for attachment to a parts broken away and shown in section to bring out the details of con struction;

' Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the invention shown in full lines, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l and with the tray shown attached to the vehicle; the of the figure shows the invention in folded position; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the invention with parts'broken away and shown in section to illustrate the details of construction; and

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing an enlarged sectional view through one ofthe members showing a plastic coating thereon, which is representative of the other members.

With more detailed reference to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a portion of a car body, which portion may be either exterior or interior of the car, with the glass 2, which may be either a window or door of the car, in adjacent relation The usual car construction provides sufficient clearance between the body I having flattened hook portion 3, of the tray which is generally designated at 4, may be positioned within this space. The hook portion 3 extends downward to form a stem 5 which has an enlarged head 6 on the lower end thereof. A pair of eyelets 'l and 8 are secured to the upright frame It at each end thereof and receive the stem 5 therein, in sliding relation thereto. A crossbar l I may be secured to or formed integral with upright pieces I0, so

between and is formed integral with said in-turned portions I2 so as to form a rigid frame. A pair of bars l1, each having a loop I 5 and I 6 at the respective opposite ends, and each of the bars I! is secured to the lower portion of upright members I 0, as by welding or soldering or the like, so that the loops [5 and it on the respective bars I! will be spaced apart and aligned to receive rods 18 and I9 therethrough, as will best be seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Spaced laterally outward from bar i1 is a pair of bars 20, each of which bars 20 has loops 2| and 22 on the respective opposite ends, which loops are of substantially the same spacing as loops l5 and I6. Rods l8 and I9 may be bent to form the respective ends 23 and 2d. 'ij'heouter portions and 16;. oftthe respectivebars it" til pass throughthe respective loops 2| and fifand are substantially parallel to bars l8 and IS. The bottom l3 preferably has a series of rods ex"- tending between end members 24 and are secured thereto to support beverage containers and other refreshments when the tray isin imtstandi'ng position, as indicated in Figs.; l',and 2. ".hp, hars l3, which form the bottom of the tray, 'rnay'lb"e welded or soldered to bars 24 in a mafnnerwiell understood in the artfgof constructing similar articles.

Airma l-may b located adia enteasc rner;of

ethe-trawand welded-onsold redeatwflmt itheiawo adjacent rods, as indicated iriliissiil an'dqB. ,tfrhis dislo ation :of shovel-a e containers and the: likeseith r while; themehicie i i 'mHlQtiOII or isi tandins :still- A sheet metal portion 29 may the interposed between the upri ht members ilfl ande secured .--there.toa-by: mcan nof hookszso, hiclrsheefi metal zp r on f rms (bracin means aiandemay provid 401; adverti insispac iorvmea s-a ndth lik As pointed out, the device may be usedeither .conzthezinterionoriexterionotthecareand; may be 1 imadeof ianytidesiredi sine and-with onepamfie srinzsiasidesiredawmohwrin stareesecureditohars m, iaiisandrli- Wih nmotdmuseether-outwardly extending portionsofrthettaas'iilgmay hezmoved tupwar zt d H QQ-MOI EQSKMCQM in the dashed 011mm imFi rfiiim and the stemmortiomfitelosoonedguntilrtheihook rovorlies. therioldedtnym rtion- *iThe ho ksnmay whe furtherpiv ted'swithim r n tmdea s 'zasit rriattenrasainstr-ioided trav l so-the-straymiileb i nackediniammmwn amoun f. s ace.

It is to be pointed out that, withtabarsyll bavloops; t5 and, litaatrtbdeudsrthereofr emb r 3,0 with: theiloon ill -.an. i-l2zaateeacmendithereo iaressu stantiailtycatheisame .distancesapar eastth JQWS t5 and tfiaso'theseminar-trayiwiilii ldtwith rallbarsimpsrallekreiation.

:I'It iisitollbel furthers-pointed Y out-irthat the: loop i It his off e zoutwand [approximately sthe 1: thicknessof the .iiwire so, that. the; wires'iwilhnotr inter- :fere vorwb nd whemthe tr y ui efoldedi'ihisti it true also with; respect tog :ioopswl l ;-ian dii2,,-aa wiill es be s en :imE e in a he outline- -A.:tray:: f;.:thisi@naturemayhewreadaily'isteriliae wand cleansed b immersion, sand because o sit ns r ct ar i 1re u enosdryiazmaathereau vno :pockets tor reservoirs to catch and ,metam" --liquids.

Jnh wariqu unssw e rrestsmavtbeiseate ww hu i tsei cs talasti i o tunbewliae nas i R. as: shown inflictwsis is rt awi keqt v fiH h t P PWQP e ts whsae ithtweete lns vse e m hsle P en -We 9 rewrites 111 h ar-1 1. sss sss mi ims s P wea er -t massi es e ables he. Wrass stacke wh n :in e Ils ubber-l t tor irestles isqetie tv llis s n mesake-Wi mett firm ar 1 sa ssd t ra sies rans o tedth ,ma ieaxastss i damm i4 s m ti t m the hco mortiomii reversed.

e the at e m ist-assesms ts o theate 4 thereof, it is to be understood that changes may be made in the minor details of construction and adaptions made to particular installations, without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding, wire s ervin g tray,

srightwine m'embers each he, 1 looped elements, a stem ha ng ahead on the lower end and a flattened hook on the upper end siidably fitted in each pair of aligned loop elespr nts, said upright wire members having an outr turned portion at the lower ends thereof forming -asupport,'-=a-wire bottom member hingeably attaghed tpsaidmpright wire members above said support for upward swinging movement and in position to rest upon said support when in a substantially horizontal position, a wire rail surroundina said bottom andsaacednthereaboveiand ihinzqahlmconneoted:theretoswd: to, .said,npright mitermembersiandtswinaablemithrsaidbattomeso asitowfold; into ,a .substantiallyriiattposition.

-,2.:'In .aei.oldingiserving traywionattacmnentlto a vehicle, a pair of upright :memhetsteacit'having 2 theaxes on which pairsznfi'ioops Rue-'8 bstaintiail'y parallel-rte eachiothcheindi maisubstantially; versticaleplahetwhen inu serving ipesmm, he pair of support.membersieachihavinctaestop :;t.he lower endthereof 'eaohM saidusuppoit menishells positioned within airpair so! ramily zaligned: loops for. :reiativearotatable sliding ombvementiwith respect; isb saianpngnemembers, 1a down-turned-zhook;ionetheuuppr endtofioaoh riofisaidrsupportmemberstadaptedtozeiisage.withzine-a; ,constrictediplace. in isaid lyehicle, can out- 0 .:wardly extending tray :dmember rhingeably .segcuredatosthes lower; endsrofiisai'dtuip htimmf bers. i hinge; meansnonztheiimight .kmembevzs Land ttrayimemher, and extending upwardlyiandieach terminating in a loop which formaarsecond hinge -ioint,; a mail 'isurroundingathei of l'said 4 5 ,outwardlytextendinertray ian vp'osi ionedswithin esatd second: loops; said rail folid tsubstantiaillya flat reelation with respecttoisaid uprizht memberszmhen zithe trayi isiolded, support membersbe- 50 i ingr-adaptedxtmmlescw respect to saiidLupflight: members, ithenhooksiofewhicht unto occupy la. position,- substautdally ipamilel .said; my portion furthenmeans attachedtosaifl :rail ifo'r retainingsa beverazetoontainer against or) nlaiteraiemovement;

3. 4A collapsible tram fonuse one. vehicle, which a pair of upstramcomprisesragpairto uupri ghtsframeimembers each having a hook member taohed rto tar-side: thereof, .said' hookskforming ,60 .-:meaus for, attaohingtrajlto .rvehicle,;.a ibottommortion himcablytattached tdaaid nub iishtriramermeniherssa-horimtaltie,bar secured -t rso-i auntie-la framememuersrforisuwortins said bottom portion in rigid, outstandili iremiion mWiWd zupriehtifiram to is imop n mitiomaretamins'ra l surroundinsstb rouwiwinhew o sseidibottomemltim d pace hereahovei-saadimseab vssecwed -thcretdianditqth r .r xht-firamemhersaand aiooatgihe-otrresilienwmmmkcm saidtnmm telescopically atiet e armor W assesettgttsss? tached to a side thereof, said hooks forming means for attaching said tray to said vehicle, a. bottom portion hingeably attached to said up-- right frame members, a horizontal tie bar secured to said upright frame members for supporting said bottom portion in rigid, outstanding relation to said upright frame members when said bottom portion is in open position, a retaining rail surrounding the outer periphery of said bottom portion and spaced thereabove and hingeably secured thereto and to the upright frame members, and a plastic material coating certain of said tray parts to deaden the noise and to protect the finish of said vehicle at points of contact.

CLYDE E. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

